Getting Moved from Selected Seat

Hi everyone,

This is my first post to this forum, but I hope to get some replies just to help me understand Virgin Atlantic's policy in relation to seating requests (for future reference).

My wife & I have been booked to fly VS9 Upper Class (admittedly using points - for the ninth of tenth time to fly Upper Class on VS) from LHR to JFK for several months. When seating for our flight opened in early May, I went online and selected 12A and 12K on the 747-400 operating our flight on 3 July.

When I checked online one week prior, and then the day before check-in opened for our flight, we were still confirmed in 12A and 12K. However, when I used online check-in (about twenty one hours before our scheduled flight departure time), we had been moved to 19A and 19K. When I enquired about this with someone at VS's contact centre, I was told that the change had been done for "operational reasons", and the airport now had control of the seating.

My assumption is that since I have no status with Virgin Atlantic (however, I do hold Platinum status with Virgin Australia - which I know means nothing to Virgin Atlantic), they moved my wife & me to allow them to put someone with status (perhaps Sir Richard?!! ) in our previously-chosen seats. Perhaps if I had checked in immediately when online check-in opened for our flight, this wouldn't have happened to us?

(At the end of the day, I know it's a "first-world" problem, but my wife & I were really looking forward to having the front two seats, since we're making the trip to the USA to belatedly celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary with family and friends there).

I know that we are still going to enjoy our flight this afternoon (and spending time in The Clubhouse prior to the flight), even if we will be seated a LOT further apart than we expected up until about 7:00PM last night.

When checking in at the airport it may be worth asking why, as it isn't always being shifted for a DYKWIA / Z Lister. A number of V-Flyers in the past have been in the same situation and found it was because some aspect of one of the seats (table, IFE) had become unusable and so they shifted both passengers. When the passengers have, for example, said they don't mind about the table not working as they will dine together using the ottoman they have been given the original seats.

Let us know the outcome.
Enjoy your trip.
Dick D

Agee with pjh on that, we had both 12's on a flight and one was moved, when we asked why it was cause the IFE was not working properly, husband said he didn't care and we got the seat back (plus 10K FC miles for the inconvenience- even tho he didnt attempt to use the IFE)

Welcome to the VF Forum!

Another reason may be to sit a child/ children with their family or to sit a group together. Policy is that seat selection choices can be amended for operational issues and they may be for whatever they choose to deem as operational!

You could try and ask at check-in if there are any other seats you may prefer?

Enjoy your trip and Congratulations on your anniversary.

Yes, as others have said ask at the airport when you do bag drop. If a problem with a particular seat has been reported on a previous flight, it will be taken out of service and greyed out on the seat map.

But you may consider it not to be a problem, in which case ask if you can sit there anyway - either at check in or once you're on board.

It could also be a big family or group who need seating together, so they've had to juggle things around. That's why airlines always say - and we often reiterate on V-Flyer - that seat requests are just requests and never guaranteed.

The mystery continues, and won't be solved.

When my wife & I arrived at The Upper Class Wing in the Virgin-arranged vehicle (the 17,500 Flying Club points were a BARGAIN for this), I explained (to a most friendly, helpful and empathetic Virgin representative) what had happened to my wife's & my assigned seats when I went to check-in online yesterday, and gave her the history (as detailed in my Original Post at start of this thread).

While researching the seating assignments for the flight, to see if the seats had been reassigned to accommodate a family or a VIP (which I could understand if this had happened), the Virgin representative told my wife & I that neither one was the case, and then went to speak to her manager.

Because one of the individuals in 12A or 12K had already checked-in for the flight (we were were not told which one, only that the individuals were NOT travelling together), the manager would not agree to reassign the seats.

I sincerely thanked the Virgin representative for her helpfulness and patience in trying to resolve this satisfactorily for my wife & me, and then it was off through security to enjoy The Lounge, where I am composing this reply.

My assumption is that whoever got 12A or 12K knows someone at Virgin Atlantic, and got them to do a last minute change of seats, because I had grabbed 12A and 12K when on-line check in for our VS9 flight went-live around 4 May...in fact, I was the first to select seats in Upper Class for this particular flight.

As I said in my post to start this thread, it's nothing more than a "first-world" problem. My wife & I will wave to each other across the cabin, but can dine together, and I know we will enjoy flying Upper Class yet again.

Thanks to all who replied, and I will do my best to post a Trip Report in the next week or two.

Cheers,
Charles

Hi Charles, this happened to my wife & I back in March when we were flying to Jamaica, 6a had a broken table so they put someone flying on their own in 6k. At the check-in desk I told them we didn't mind the broken table so they moved the single PAX back down the cabin & re-instated my wife & I into 6a & k.

Happy anniversary & enjoy your trip!

Go and talk to them on the flight. Ask them for the Virgin staff number.

I've had seats changed at least four times, always for 'operational reasons' and on three of those flights it has been Virgin staff in my original seats.

Another reason I don't fly Virgin anymore.

About years ago, we had UC seats from LAS reserved - 6A & 6K, perfect for a couple.

When we checked in (a little late), they wanted to move us back down the cabin as "another passenger had requested them" but I explained we had those seats specifically reserved. So we got the 6A /6K BP's.

When we boarded, two VS off duty cabin crew were happily ensconced in "our" seats - so I was happy to turf them out. And they then spent almost all their time at the bar anyway...

So "operational reasons" can cover a wide range of "things"...

My assumption is that whoever got 12A or 12K knows someone at Virgin Atlantic, and got them to do a last minute change of seats, because I had grabbed 12A and 12K when on-line check in for our VS9 flight went-live around 4 May...in fact, I was the first to select seats in Upper Class for this particular flight.

What a p*sser. I was really hoping this wasn't the case for you. Enjoy the experience anyhow, and congratulations on your anniversary.

We got moved on our lhr-Mia leg 4 weeks ago, it's very annoying at the time but UC is enjoyable wherever you are!
We were moved for a family, ok in my eyes!

Not when you are trying to get some sleep on the 400, and you get moved from 2A to one right by the damned bar... not all seats are the same!

Yes, that's happened to me. Guess who was in 2A? A mate of the crew's.

Not when you are trying to get some sleep on the 400, and you get moved from 2A to one right by the damned bar... not all seats are the same!

Yes, that's happened to me. Guess who was in 2A? A mate of the crew's.

Oh dear, from 2A to the bar is a real case of one extreme to another. Still, at least it was for sound 'operational reasons' eh!

I do hope the OP checks in again with some news.

There seems to be a theme here- many relocations in UC are for crew or friends of crew.

I've flown business class with many airlines when travelling with work and I've never been relocated before. When leisure travelling I try to opt for VS as my preferred carrier and this year will be my first time in UC. In the past I've flown PE.

After reading this thread, I'm a little worried I won't get the seats I ask for at T-60. Of course they're never guaranteed but how likely are relocations? Are they a rarity? There's a small group of us travelling together, albeit with no youngsters.

I've not had seat changes, just airline changes!

Seriously, check often and if you are lucky to nab your seats at OLCI you should be fine.....

We were moved a couple of times when flying Economy, back in the day when you had to phone to try to get the seat assigned. Never had the issue in UC or PE, except for the time we couldn't get the seats we wanted on first dibs in PE only to find that at OLCI we had been moved forward into these seats.

Not when you are trying to get some sleep on the 400, and you get moved from 2A to one right by the damned bar... not all seats are the same!

Yes, that's happened to me. Guess who was in 2A? A mate of the crew's.

I have to agree there! UC wouldn't be enjoyable in that situation. It's normally me at the bar tho...